Youthfulness versus Love…
by watervampire
Summary: Gai decides Kakashi and he are having another game again. Kakashi doesn't like it at all, but tries making the best of it. In the end, it's all about Youthfulness versus Love; which one will win? kakashiXiruka, mostly cuteness... .


How it all started:

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, don't tell me you can't tell…

Anyhow, I wrote this because I was in a happy mood, and I love the kakashiXiruka pairing, simple as that. I don't claim that it has a plot, or anything like that (though I tried, and thought I actually succeeded pretty well), this is meant as a bunch of cuteness and a (yet) unexpressed love for yaoi (well, not all of it, from Naruto actually almost only this couple) but hell… I bet no one's reading this anyway, so I'm going to stop wasting my time.

_**Youthfulness versus Love…**_

**How it all started:**

"So it's settled then!" Gai exclaimed brightly, giving his thumbs-up to a – not so – random ninja passing by. Said ninja looked up confused, his visible eye – the other one was hidden by his Konoha forehead protector – lazily resting on the black-haired man in front of him.

"I'm sorry, were you saying something?" He asked, the lazy attitude clearly shining through now. The man he was talking to, in the green spandex suit, fell face-down to the ground. His eyes, which were showing a spirit like fire before were now showing a hint of annoyance.

"Oh my eternal rival, you're so cool!" He then shouted, standing up again and showing off his white teeth. This caused the other man to blink stupidly.

"So you were saying what?" He asked unaffected. Gai got another sweat drop.

"You really weren't listening?" He asked with a sad sigh. As the shinobi, who had finally decided to walk over to him, nodded, fire started burning up in his eyes again. "Both of us are going to ask a youthful (in other words, sexy/good-looking/gorgeous) partner to the festival, Friday next week, with our amazing power of love!" He then shouted.

"And then what?" Kakashi asked, not really impressed. He really didn't see the point in this whole stuff. He had to go train his team; Sakura and Naruto were probably already making evil plans to kill him slowly and painfully by now. Also, he didn't really see what his 'power of love' had to do with anyone's youthfulness, actually.

"There will be someone judging who has the more youthful of the two, and that powerful and cool guy will win this bet." Kakashi raised an eyebrow hearing this. Where had Gai gotten the idea he'd have less trouble finding someone to go to the festival with than him?

"And at the moment we're equal," Gai continued. "The one winning will have 379 victories, the loser 378." Kakashi looked around him, pretending to be bored. He didn't like this bet in the least bit. "Or are you afraid?" Gai finished.

He hadn't actually planned on using this phrase, but since he really wanted to get this game started, Kakashi left him no other choice. Gai knew he wouldn't win this, but he also knew Kakashi would dump his girlfriend after the festival, meaning he could go out with her afterwards. This was most definitely a very youthful and smart plan, which couldn't possibly fail, in his eyes.

"I'm in, who's going to judge us?" Kakashi asked. "And just so you know, you'd better not use your mini-me." Gai looked disappointed, and then looked around him for someone.

"Hey, Kurenai, could you come here?!" He shouted loudly. Kakashi sweat dropped.

**Where the problems started****:**

"I wouldn't want to ask anyone but you." Kakashi said. "You don't immediately have to answer me, think about it if you want to, you can take your time. As long as I know before Friday it's okay."

"You know why I'm hesitating right?" Kakashi stood up again, facing the only person he could've asked this without going back on everything he believed in.

"I do, don't worry. I don't want to put any pressure on you, but I do want to know sometime soon." Kakashi said and smiled through his mask. "I'll get going now, I might see you tomorrow, okay?" He asked. A small and shy nod was enough for him, and he turned around and walked back home.

**And how it continued:**

"Hatake-san, I heard about your bet with Maito-san, and I was wondering… well, if you were looking for a date, because… It's not that you have to, but I could, you know, if you don't have anyone yet?" Kakashi looked at the girl lazily. He had never been very good at rejections, or talking seriously with fan girls at all.

"At the moment I have someone else in mind, but I'll see." He said, looking for the right words. "If that turns out to be nothing you're the first person I'll think of." _Think__ of, she doesn't need to expect me to actually ask her out instead of that person. I'd never do that._

"Wow, Kakashi." Iruka said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Was that just girl number 29 asking you out for the festival?" He smiled. "today?" He added ironically. Kakashi shot the man an annoyed look, but saw he didn't seem to mind.

They were walking to the academy together, Kakashi because he wasn't feeling like some kind of lame mission with his team yet and had to think about the bet he made with Gai. He already knew he shouldn't have done it, though sometimes you just have to keep on trying for something you want. And deep inside his heart, he wanted this.

He looked at Iruka, in whose eyes was some kind of sadness, though he was smiling, and was sure that he couldn't possibly take someone else than him to that festival. Not even if Gai would bother him about his victory for years. Why wouldn't the man just realize that? Why didn't Iruka see he loved him?

**How the opponent's doing:**

A funny thing was that Kakashi wasn't the only one who had gotten popular with the girls because of the bet. Gai noticed some girls looking at him in a slightly different way than before. Little did he know what those girls were planning, and what their true intentions were when thinking about asking him to go out with them.

One of the girls had taken her plan as far as to actually step up to him and ask him if he wanted to go to the festival with her. She was replied with a few sentences that held more 'youthful' 'beautiful' and 'love' than is probably good for a person to hear in his/her life, but the first step of her plan was complete.

_Evil plan from girls trying to get Kakashi to go to the festival with them:_

Step 1: Be pretty/beautiful/very youthful.

Step 2: Ask Maito Gai if he wants to go to the festival with you, and make sure he accepts (because you're so **perfect** for the bet, because you're **beautiful **and **youthful**)

Step 3: Make sure Kakashi finds out about this.

Step 4: Make sure to let Kakashi know Gai is definitely going to win having you as his date, and then just wait until he subtly asks you to go with him instead: _End of evil plan from girls trying to get Kakashi to go to the festival with them. –_

Gai was happily skipping through the streets, thinking of youthfulness and everything that usually comes with it. (AN: bet he's a closet pervert too, you guys can deny all you want but I know there's **something** behind that ever-lasting youthful of him .) He was just thinking of maybe buying his date something, when he saw Kakashi sneaking through the streets, trying very hard not to be seen by anyone.

Before he'd even given it a second though, Gai was already following Kakashi on his mysterious walk. This first led him to a small supermarket with a chewing-gum eating, magazine reading teenager girl, who didn't care one bit for a shinobi buying something, and a suspicious-looking man following him. Also the fact that last man was hiding behind the food racks and crawling after the first man wasn't something to worry about considering her celebrity crush had a new girlfriend. Hey, you need to have priorities, right?

Because of his idea of keeping at least 35 meters distance between him and Kakashi (Idiotic Ninja Rule 43: Always keep 2 seconds braking distance between you and your chasing object.)

Gai arrived in the shop after Kakashi had left, meaning he didn't see what the man bought. As this was pretty troublesome, he got closer to him, seeing him enter the Yamanaka flower shop, and coming out with a huge bouquet of flowers. Something else hat immediately struck the ever-so attentive shinobi, when his eyes were fixed on minor details, was that Kakashi wasn't carrying the bag from the supermarket anymore, but two wrapped up packets. One of them seemed to be a box, and the other Gai couldn't make out.

What exactly was Kakashi up to? And why did he look into Gai's direction suspiciously, and disappeared then, out of Gai's charka sensing reach? (AN: which is, like, 3 meters --)

**Back to Kakashi:**

Kakashi was walking through the halls of the Hokage building, his heart thumping loudly with excitement. If what he was planning could work! He really hoped he would find _that_ person to be there.

On the way here he had seen Gai with his 'girlfriend', who had both been trying to piss him off as much as they could, but nothing could destroy his sunny mood at the moment. This caused Gai to call him a 'cool and youthful eternal rival' again, and the girl, he didn't even know her name, to glare at him.

He already had one trump to use in this game. He might've forgotten the name of the girl Gai was going to the festival with, he had not yet forgotten that she had been flirting terribly with Asuma-sensei during the previous festival. And he was sure that Kurenai hadn't forgotten about this either.

'Kurenai, could I speak to you for a moment?' He politely asked the kunoichi he came across in the hallway. She nodded and the two entered a small office.

'Have you heard about what Gai fished up in the sewer yesterday?' She asked coldly, and Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle. Kurenai definitely hadn't forgotten yet.

'I saw, spoke with, and loathed.' He said. 'But it's his choice, of course.' Kakashi sighed; he should be getting to the point now. 'Speaking of which…' He saw Kurenai smile slightly, but ignored her. 'The person I asked out is a bit afraid, to, well-' Kakashi hesitated. He couldn't say it; he just couldn't tell Kurenai what Iruka had told him in confidence yesterday evening.

'To face the whole village after they've found out he's gay?' Kurenai finished his sentence for him.

'So you **did** know all along.' Kakashi stated, and Kurenai nodded.

'I don't think it's a bad thing, you know? I think the two of you would look pretty well together.' She said, biting her lip. 'But what do you need me to do? Do you want **me** to convince him to go with you?'

'No.' Kakashi said. 'I was just thinking: Gai didn't say we had to show up together, right? Maybe we could fix something with your help, a way Iruka and I could go to the festival and maybe even, win that game.'

Kurenai looked at him estimating.

**The big day:**(AN: evening, whatever you want to call it --)

Of course Gai and Kurenai were already there when Suzuki-chan (Again, AN: Gai's date's name, because she was still nameless if I'm not wrong) arrived at the point Gai said everyone had to gather. She suspected he hadn't told Kakashi about that place, just to make sure he'd win. She herself didn't even know why exactly she was here again. The chance that Kakashi needed her as partner after all was very small.

She sighed, forced a smile on and walked towards Gai. She gave him and Kurenai a nice 'hi', to which Gai responded with a thumbs-up and Kurenai with a glare that could probably kill.

To everyone's surprise, Kakashi was in time. In time, meaning 15 minutes before he actually had to show up with his partner. The only thing was: his partner wasn't there.

Suzuki felt her heart grow excited at the thought of still having a chance to be Kakashi's partner, though he seemed pretty at ease, waiting for his partner to come. Gai went to the bathroom, when he came back there were only 9 minutes left. Still there wasn't a hint of an emotion on his face. Suzuki growled.

Then her heart lightened up. Another hottie, probably easier than Kakashi-san was, Umino Iruka, was walking in their direction. And where Gai had looked weird wearing anything different from his usual spandex suit, and Kakashi was wearing some kind of ANBU-like outfit, Iruka wore a kimono traditional for this kind of festivals. A traditional kimono like the one she was wearing. She smiled.

'Hello Kurenai-chan.' Iruka said, hugging the kunoichi in a friendly way. After Asuma-san had started going out with her Iruka had gotten much closer to her. He was still good friends with Asuma-san, but it was nice to hear Kurenai's side of happenings as well sometimes.

'Hello Kakashi-san, Gai-san.' He greeted them politely. Then he turned specifically to Kakashi. 'Are you almost finished here? I need to discuss this thing with you, and I'd like to do that before the contests are starting. Naruto will be participating this year.' He said, smiling in truly happy way.

'So, who will it be, Kurenai?' Kakashi asked, the hint of boredom disappearing from his visible eye. Under his mask he even seemed to be… smiling? Kurenai happily patted him on the back.

'I wouldn't think about it twice, Kakashi. You're definitely the winner.' She said, quickly stalking off to look for Asuma somewhere. At the same moment Iruka and Kakashi walked away as well, leaving Gai and Suzuki there with their jaws open on the ground. When you're speaking of being absolutely stunned…

'Er, so… how about the two of us go eat something together? It could be a real date!' Gai exclaimed happily. A vein pulsed on Suzuki's forehead, before punching him over.

'I'd rather die.' She said annoyed, and walked off to look for Iruka-san. She couldn't find him anywhere, though. Not near the place where the contests were being held, or with the other ninja's.

Too bad she for her she didn't look in the park, which looked beautiful for the festival. There were lights everywhere, and near a little pond, she could've found who she was looking for. It was maybe just for the better she didn't, though. His company, being a silver-haired jounin, couldn't help but feel good at beating Gai and having this special evening with his lover.

**The respectable judge:**

'Why won't you tell me who it was?!' Gai shouted. 'This is so unfair!' Kurenai just grinned, and waved Asuma at the same moment.

'Listen, I couldn't do anything about it, Gai. It's all because of Asuma.' She said, grinning smugly. His eyes widen and immediately he charged at Asuma.

'Hey!' The so-called ninja shouted. 'I don't have anything to do with this!' Gai looked from Kurenai, to Asuma, back to Kurenai again; very confused.

'Don't worry.' Kurenai said happily, running over to him. 'I'll protect you.' In response to this Asuma wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on her lips.

'Ugh, you two too!?' Gai said grossed out. 'Kakashi too, though I don't know with whom yet. What's happened to your youthfulness?'

'Well.' Kurenai said. 'That's because _**love is just so much better.**_'

**Love: 1**** Youthfulness: 0… **yet…


End file.
